Smoky Mouse
Pseudomys fumeus
Australia's Threatened Species Category
Endangered
Listed since: 1/09/2020
IUCN's Threatened Species Category
Vulnerable
Listed since: 26/07/2015
Population trend: Decreasing
Other names: Konoom
Priority Species? No
The Australian government's Threatened Species Action Plan 2022-2032 selected over 100 priority species derive from consultation with threatened species experts and the wider community. While all species are important, focusing on a limited number of species can help target effort and resources so that outcomes can be achieved, measured and shared.
Description
The population undergoes large annual fluctuations in abundance, with a rapid decline in numbers just before the breeding season due to the death or dispersal of young, which are forced to vacate their natal territory during autumn as food resources decline. The diet of Smoky Mouse includes seeds, berries, underground fungi, flowers, and some invertebrates.
Threats
The primary threats to the Smoky Mouse are predation by feral cats and foxes with the impacts of predation may be magnified where too frequent or high-intensity bushfires occur, and during drought periods, and habitat destruction from land clearance, logging and development activities. The Smoky Mouse generally doesn�t occur in disturbed areas and is found in a range of vegetation communities including coastal and subalpine heath.
Quollity Conservation Hub's Vulnerability Score:
67
To help compare the relative vulnerability of different species, we have developed a scoring system based on biological and ecological characteristics that influence a species' ability to survive and recover from environmental change and natural disasters.
The framework is adapted from assessment methods used by conservation experts following the Black Summer bushfires to help identify species most in need of conservation action, research, and recovery funding.
Each species is assessed using a range of factors, including its conservation status, lifespan, reproductive rate, habitat and dietary requirements, ability to disperse or recover after fire, and the number and severity of threats it faces.
In general, the higher a species' score, the greater its overall vulnerability and risk of decline or extinction.
Like all conservation assessments, this scoring system is limited by the information currently available. Many threatened species remain poorly studied and receive limited research funding, meaning some assessments rely on the best available scientific knowledge or information from closely related species. As new research becomes available, scores may be updated to reflect our improved understanding.